AB0123 ENTEROCOCCUS GALLINARUM IN PATIENTS WITH SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS.
Authors: L. F. Vega Sevilla, O. E. Alvarez-González, J. C. Riega-Torres, D. C. Rubio Torres, C. M. Skinner Taylor, L. Vera Cabrera, J. A. Cardenas-de la Garza, M. A. Aguilera Valenciano, W. Escalante, H. Guerra, D. Á. Galarza-Delgado
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2023)

<h3>Background</h3> Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is associated with epithelial defects and disrupted intestinal barrier, risking bacterial translocation and promoting systemic inflammation, known as dysbiosis, which is associated with increased disease activity [1]. <i>Enterococcus gallinarum</i> has been previously linked to gastrointestinal autoimmune diseases, like autoimmune hepatitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis. [2] However, little is known about <i>E. gallinarum</i> prevalence in SLE. <h3>Objectives</h3> To describe the prevalence of <i>E. gallinarum</i> in SLE stool samples, as well as clinical and laboratory characteristics. <h3>Methods</h3> A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted at the University Hospital ¨Dr. José Eleuterio González¨, in northern Mexico. We included adult patients who met current criteria for SLE and had recent (&lt;3 months) paraclinical routine tests, including acute phase reactants. Patients with other autoimmune diseases, chronic infections, pregnancy, cancer, abdominal surgery or gastrointestinal bleeding were excluded. Demographic, clinical data, as well as Anti-nuclear antibodies and complement were obtained from records. No participant received antibiotics, probiotics or synbiotics 3 months prior to the study. DNA was extracted with the DNeasy PowerLyzer PowerSoil DNeasy kit, Qiagen (Hilden, Germany) according to the manufacturer's specifications. <i>E. gallinarum</i> was detected by endpoint polymerase chain reaction essay. <h3>Results</h3> Sixty patients were included, where most subjects were women (51, 85%). Mean age was 41.79 (± 16.6) and time of diagnosis 107.03 months (± 95.46). <i>E. gallinarum</i> and <i>Enterococcus spp</i> were found in 7 (11.6%) cases. The most frequent MEX-SLEDAI parameter was arthritis in 34 (56.6%) cases, followed by acute cutaneous lupus in 23 (38.3%). Clinical manifestations and paraclinical findings are shown in Table 1. We found a significant difference in <i>E. gallinarum</i> positive patients in creatinine levels (0.98 vs 0.72, <i>p</i> 0.032), ESR (11.14 vs 19.49, <i>p</i> 0.031) and frequency of serositis (57.14% vs 7.54%, <i>p</i> 0.001). When analyzing ESR by age-adjusted upper limit, significance was lost (<i>p</i> 0.4) <h3>Conclusion</h3> Prevalence of <i>E. gallinarum</i> in SLE stool samples was 11.7%. Serositis, higher mean creatinine and lower mean ESR was more common in <i>E. gallinarum</i> positive subjects. Further research is needed to better understand <i>E. gallinarum</i> dysbiosis in SLE. <h3>References</h3> [1] Li Y, Wang HF, Li X, Li HX, Zhang Q, Zhou HW, et al. Disordered intestinal microbes are associated with the activity of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Clinical science (London, England: 1979). 2019;133(7):821-38. [2] Nakamoto N, Sasaki N, Aoki R, et al. Gut pathobionts underlie intestinal barrier dysfunction and liver T helper 17 cell immune response in primary sclerosing cholangitis. <i>Nat Microbiol</i>. 2019;4(3):492-503. doi:10.1038/s41564-018-0333-1 <h3>Acknowledgements</h3> No Acknowledgements to declare. <h3>Disclosure of Interests</h3> None Declared.